Georgia Tech Procurement Assistance Center

GTPAC to host Defense Innovation Conference on Jan. 14th

By

Note: The Defense Innovation Conference referenced in this article was held on Jan. 14, 2019.  For reference, you can find copies of presentations and other resource materials from the conference posted at: https://gtpac.org/training-video/

If you and your company have the next key discovery or the next great idea that could benefit the Department of Defense (DoD), block-out January 14, 2019 on your calendar right now.

On that date, the Georgia Tech Procurement Assistance Center (GTPAC) will host a day-long event designed to benefit innovative small businesses – with priority given to small technology companies that have the potential to directly enhance achievement of DoD’s mission.

Registration is now open at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/creating-the-next-defense-innovation-conference-tickets-53056770228     Advance registration is required for this event; on-site registration will not be allowed.  The registration fee is $50.

By attending, you’ll learn all about the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, the Rapid Innovation Fund (RIF), Other Transaction Authority (OTA) for prototype projects, and additional contracting vehicles aimed at attracting innovative companies to help the U.S. Department of Defense.

See promotional flyer here: Defense Innovation Conference – Jan. 14 2019 Event

So, save the date!  Registration is at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/creating-the-next-defense-innovation-conference-tickets-53056770228

Full Agenda and Featured Speakers

An advance copy of the conference agenda is available here: Agenda – Defense Innovation Conference – 01.14.2019 – Final.

Biographical sketches of all the featured speakers is available here: Featured Speakers – Defense Innovation Conference 01.14.2019.

What to expect from OTA protests and disputes

By

Ready or not — federal agencies are increasingly utilizing “other transactions authority” (OTA) to craft agreements that are not subject to traditional procurement laws and therefore should, in theory, allow the government greater access to innovative solutions.

While the goal of OTA procedures may be to avoid bottlenecks inherent in procurement under the Federal Acquisition Regulation, in the end they may result in valuable contracts with the government. As with any such contracts, it is inevitable that disputes will arise during their formation and administration.

While there is very little precedent relating to protests of OTA awards or claims arising under OTA-awarded contracts, there are some fundamental principles and analogous decisions that suggest how this early history of OTA protests and claims may unfold.

This article attempts to portray the current landscape for protests of OTA awards and contract claims arising during performance of an OTA agreement.

Keep reading this article at: http://www.mondaq.com/article.asp?articleid=721778

A fundamental shift is underway in today’s market — Are you prepared?

By

As we move into the second half of the fiscal year, what can we take away from the last six months?

As most analysts have pointed out, we can say with some confidence that despite the budget chaos and uncertainty, the market continues to be strong. Both professional and IT services showed meaningful growth in the first quarter of fiscal 2018 and it is reasonable to expect that trend continued in the second quarter.

In addition, we now have a spending agreement that relieves the unnatural and problematic budget caps, at least for a few years. And that likely means even more growth.

And, of course, the long discussed consolidation of our industry appears to be upon us; a spate of deals has escalated talk about a restructuring of the industry.

But beyond those evident trends, there are other dynamics well worth considering.

Keep reading this article at: https://washingtontechnology.com/articles/2018/03/28/insights-soloway-market-changes.aspx

Company calls out ‘old guard’ after Pentagon cuts its $950 million cloud contract by 93 percent

By

One week ago, Virginia-based REAN Cloud was preparing to hire an additional 100 employees to meet demand across the Defense Department after it received a $950 million other transaction authority agreement to provide cloud services across Defense agencies.

Now the company is calling out the contracting community that it feels helped successfully pressure the Pentagon to curb its contract award by more than 90 percent — from $950 million to $65 million — and looking for answers from the Defense Department.

“Based on the threat of legal action and protest by the old guard, the only winners in this delay are those large companies that stand to lose money if the Defense Department proceeds with innovation. In the meantime, the cost of maintaining antiquated government infrastructure has not subsided,” said Sekhar Puli, the company’s managing partner, in a statement.

Keep reading this article at: http://www.nextgov.com/it-modernization/2018/03/company-calls-out-old-guard-after-pentagon-cuts-its-nearly-1-billion-cloud-contract/146529/

Contracting News

Read More

Contracting Tips

Read More

GTPAC News

Read More

Georgia Tech News

Read More